Well head control



Nov 4, 1941. L. A. LAYNE 2,261,440

WELL HEAD CONTROL Filed Feb. 4, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l LEsuE A. LAY/vs v OR.

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ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 4, 1941. L, A, LAYNE 2,261,440

WELL HEAD CONTROL Fil'ed Feb. 4, 1939 r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LESL/E A. LAYNE Y5 fNVENTOR. BY fab 13w.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 4, 1941 UNETED ST TES EPAJTET trier Cl ms The invention relates to a well head control wherein the various fittings may be attached or detached for replacement or repair and the flowing of the well continued so that control of the pressure in the well may be had at all times.

In the completing of wells and particularly when the tubing is being run and well completed, it is necessary to have control of the well pressure so that the tubing may not be blown from the Well and such control is also necessary when various fittings are being replaced or repaired on the well head.

It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a control head for wells wherein the flow may be directed through any one of three flow lines and wherein two of the flow lines may be cut off simultaneously and flow directed through the third line.

It is also an object of the invention to provide each of several flow lines with a nipple, valve and stufing box assembly so that normally the flow may pass through the nipple while it protects the valve but where the nipple may be moved to permit closing of the valve so that the nipple and flow line connections can be subsequently removed or repaired.

t is also an object of the invention to provide a top nipple for control heads which may be moved into position so as to cut off both of the side flow lines for purpose of repair.

It is also an object of the invention to provide be readily apparent when the following description is considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a control head to which the invention has been applied and illustrates certain of the parts in section.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a slightly modified rm the nv t on il ust ating the arr n ment {of the b l Pl s .01 nip es when th valves and fittings are being removed or repaired.

Fig. 3 is a broken detail section of the tubing hanger supporting members.

Fig. lis a section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and illustrating the non-circular arrangement of the hanger construction whereby the hanger may be inserted or removed from the well.

In Fig. 1 the well casing is illustrated generally at 2 and is surmounted by a casinghead' 3. This head may be of any desired construction but has here been shown as carrying a plurality of cir-' cumferentially arranged tubing hanger support members 4. These members are illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 and'include a stuffing box 5 which is disposed in the recess 6 in the 'casinghead. A spindle! extends through the recess and has a ilange 8 fixed thereon which limits the inward movement by abutting a shoulder 9 in the casinghead. A threaded area H on the spindle moves into the supporting block 12 and by rotationof the spindle'the block may be moved inwardly or outwardly with respect to the casing head. A gland l3 confines a packing about the spindle 1 so as to provide a seal.

A'strin'g of tubing I5 is suspended in the well bore by means of the hanger I 6 which hanger has a recessed area I? therein which carries the plugs l'2.' These plugs are arranged for radial sliding movement in the recess IT by virtue of the springs l8 which normally urge these blocks outwardly. The recess IS in the casinghead 3 may be noncircularas seen in Fig. 4 so that these blocks may be moved to contracted position by turning the tubing hanger it a portion of a revolution and they will be permitted to move outwardly when turned to the position shown in Fig. 4. In the position of Fig. 4; the spindle 1 may be screwed into the block to lock them in outward position so that the hanger cannot move either upwardly or downwardly when in this locked position. The hanger and tubing are thusly prevented from removal from the well.

A packer 65 may be carried by the tubing hanger so that the weight of the tubing will be supported on the packer and the blocks l2. A

threaded connection 66 in the top of the hanger enables asetting tool to be connected or disconnected in order to lower the tubing through the closure device or the Christmas tree assembly.

' The tubing and hanger may be inserted into the Welland disposed in position either before or after the Christmas tree 20 is afiixed to the well. If positioned before they will of course be lowered through a suitable blowout preventer or other closure member and securely locked in position, as seen in Fig. 1. Then the closure member may be removed and the Christmas tree 20 afifixed to the well head. On the other hand if desired the well may be completed and the tubing run through the Christmas tree 20. To facilitate this last operation the Christmas tree is of particular construction and includes a body or cross member 22 which may be atfixed directly to the casinghead 3 or to the gate valve 24. The gate valve is here shown as forming the base of the Christmas tree and connected to the casinghead at the bottom and the top or cross 22 of the Christmas tree at the top.

The Christmas tree is provided with the side fiow line connections 25 and 26 and the top flow line connection 21.

Each of these three branches of the cross 22 have a gate valve 30 thereon. The gate valve is next surmounted by a coupling 3| which is enlarged at 32 to receive the packing 33 of a stuffing box 34.

A nipple 35 is shown as having been inserted through the stufiing box 34 and thence through a valve 30 where it engages a threaded connection 31 by which such nipple is anchored in position. For purposes of explanation the nipples 38 and 39 in the side flow lines may be of the same construction as the nipple 35 but preferably the nipple 35 is of greater length so that it may pass through the entire body 22 and be received in the threaded area 40 in the top of the casing head.

With the construction just described for the top nipple 35 it seems obvious that this nipple completely closes oil the flow lines 25 and 26 and forms a straight passage way from the well through the Christmas tree. A valve such as 42 may be carried by each of th nipples 35, 38 and 39 so as to close the nipple when desired.

In completing the well if it is to be washed or the tubing or tubing hanger run into the well after the Christmas tree has been positioned, these operations will be conducted through the nipple 35. In event excessive pressure or indications of a blowout, it is only necessary to unscrew the nipple 35 and close the valve 34 in order to completely cut off the well. If such an operation is impossible, it is only necessary to close the valve 42 on the top nipple in order to close in the well.

Any swabbing or cleaning of the well may be conducted through this top nipple 35 or if desired this top nipple can be completely removed and the top valve 311 closed so as to direct the flow through the flow line 25 or 26, as may be desired. If any difliculty or wear appears in connection with any of the three valves 42, it is only necessary to remove that particular nipple by unscrewing it from its seat 31 or at 40 and to then close one of the valves 30. This closes that particular flow line and then the nipple and the valve carried thereby may be readily removed and either replaced or repaired as desired.

In this manner either the flow line 25 or the flow line 26 may remain in service while the other is being repaired or if it is desired to repair both of them, then the flow may be taken through the top nipple.

The particular arrangement of the three valve lines and the control nipples and valves therefor are of particular advantage because any desired flow line may be used and the valves protected, repaired or replaced as desired.

Fig. 2 shows a construction somewhat similar to that of Fig. 1 except bull plugs have been substituted for the nipples.

A bull plug 5|] is shown as having been inserted in lieu of the nipple 38 and this bull plug carries a threaded area 5| to engage with the threaded area 31 so that it may be inserted while the valve 30 was connected to the threads 53, and while the valve 3|! was closed. If the bull plug 50 had been inserted through the stuffing box 34, then the valve could be opened and the bull plug moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 and anchored in place. This bull plug serves to completely close the flow line 25 and then the stuffing box 34 or the valve 30 or both may be removed and repaired.

The right hand side of Fig. 2 shows a connection wherein a branch line 54 has been connected to the valve 30 and a bull plug 55 or other fitting connected therebeyond. If there are to be any repairs or alterations to this connection the valve 30 maybe closed and the coupling 56 as well as other fittings can be removed. If the valve 30 is to be removed it will be first closed, the coupling 56 and nippl 51 removed and then a bull plug 5| and stufiing box 34 will be inserted and the bull plug manipulated the same as the nipple 38 previously described. The valve 30 can then be taken off leaving the plug 5| as shown at the left of Fig. 2. The left hand side shows all of these fittings as having been removed.

In the top flow line 21 the nipple 35 has been replaced by a bull plug 60 which may be of sufficient length to move downwardly to be received in the threaded area 40 and this bull plug may be inserted in lieu of the nipple 35 after the well has been completed and when it is contemplated that no further service operations will be required. This saves the expense of retaining the valve 42 and will allow closing off of both of the side flow lines 25 and 26 simultaneously.

Broadly the invention contemplates a control head which will afiord a flexible usage so as to cope with various situations which may arise due to wear or damage to the valves and in order to adapt the head to the various sets of circumstances encountered in actual practice.

What is claimed is:

1. A control head for wells comprising a casing head, a tubing hanger and tubing therein, a Christmas tree on said casing head having side and top flow lines connected thereto, each flow line including a gate valve and a flow nippl removably inserted thru each gate valve, and a stuifing box about each nipple so that a seal maybe maintained about each nipple as the nipple is withdrawn beyond the gate valve so that such valve may be closed while the head remains under pressure.

2. A control head for wells comprising a casing head, a tubing hanger and tubing therein, a Christmas tree on said casing head having side and top fiow lines connected thereto, each flow line including a gate valve and a flow nipple removably inserted thru each gate Valve, 2. stufiing box about each nipple so that a seal may be maintained about each nipple as the nipple is withdrawn beyond the gate valve so that such valve may be closed while the head remains under pressure, and a threaded connection in said tree for each nipple which is disposed inside each gate valve so that each nipple is anchored during use.

3. A control head for wells comprising a casing head, a tubing hanger and tubing therein, a Christmas tree on said casing head having side and top flow lines connected thereto, each flow line including a gate valve and a flow nipple removably inserted thru each gate valve, and a stufiing box about each nipple so that a seal may be maintained about each nipple as the nipple is withdrawn beyond the gate valve so that such valve may be closed while the head remains under pressure, said top flow line nipple being of a length to extend thru said tree to close off said side flow lines.

4. A control head for wells comprising a casing head, a tubing hanger and tubing therein, a Christmas tree on said casing head having side and top flow lines connected thereto, each flow line including a gate valve and a flow nlpple removably inserted thru each gate valve, a stuffing box about each nipple so that a seal may be maintained about each nipple as the nipple is Withdrawn beyond the gate valve so that such valve may be closed While the head remains under pressure, and an additional gate valve at the base of said tree below said side flow lines to close off the entire tree.

5. A control head for wells comprising a casing head, a tubing hanger and tubing therein, a Christmas tree on said casing head having side and top fiow lines connected thereto, each flow line including a gate valve and a flow nipple removably inserted thru each gate valve, and a stufiin'g box about each nipple so that a seal may be maintained about each nipple as the nipple is withdrawn beyond the gate valve so that such valve may be closed while the head remains under pressure, said tubing and tubing hanger being insertable and removable thru said top flow line.

6. The combination of a casing head for wells, a tubing disposed therein, flow line connections extending laterally at the side of said head, a bull plug at the top of said head comprising a closed end pipe of substantially the same diameter as the inside of the control head, means on the head to seal about said plug and allow movement thereof so that said plug may be positioned in said head to close off said flow line connections. I

'7. The combination of a casing head for wells, a tubing disposed therein, flow line connections extending laterally at the side of said head, a nipple at the top of said head comprising a closed end pipe of substantially th same diameter as the inside of the control head, means on the head to seal about said nipple and allow movement thereof so that said nipple may be positioned in said head to close off said flow line connections, and a tubing hanger on said tubing removably positioned in said head.

LESLIE A. LAYNE. 

